Left shoulder issues sideline Cardinals' Garcia yet again

BEN FREDERICKSON

FS Midwest

ST. LOUIS —St. Louis Cardinals starter
Jaime Garcia has been placed on the disabled list with a left shoulder strain, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak announced before St. Louis played the Milwaukee
Brewers on Saturday.

As a result, Cardinals closer
Mitchell Boggs will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday. But the replacement for Garcia's spot in the starting rotation has not yet been named.

The news about Garcia (5-2 with a 3.58 ERA) came one day after his last start. He lasted 5.1 innings against the Brewers on Friday, surrendered six hits (including two home runs) and six earned runs.

The throwing shoulder troubled Garcia, 26, last season as well. He rehabbed the injury instead of having surgery. Since the pain has returned, surgery is now a more-likely option.

With Garcia absent in the Cardinals' rotation, a hole will have to be filled by next week. Another starter,
Jake Westbrook, is on the DL with an elbow injury.
Chris Carpenter — who has been working toward an unexpected comeback from nerve damage — is not expected to be ready in time to take Garcia's place.

One option is pitching prospect Michael Wacha, the 21-year-old who is 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA at Triple-A Memphis this season. Or, the Cardinals could reshuffle players already on the active roster, using one of their young relievers — Joe Kelly or Carlos Martinez, for example — to replace Garcia.